Recent Headlines

With the terrible Syrian civil war as backdrop, we are witnessing U.S./Russia negotiations and diplomacy in action. When it works, diplomacy is in the mutual and, in this case, the world interest. The step of taking chemical weapons out of the Syrian conflict will be important in so many ways that go beyond Syria itself.

The U.S. will not repeat Iraq, where swift military victory, then occupation, brought on the continuing deadly clash of rival political/religious forces.

Instead, remember Bosnia — where in 1995 diplomacy backed by solid military threat and unified U.S./European policy (with Russia a party to agreement) — we got a Dayton Peace Accord and an essentially peaceful process to end that conflict.

At critical times, diplomacy must be backed by determination and potential force. Done right, diplomacy can be our most effective foreign policy tool.

Lyle Larson plans to address the VIA Board of Trustees to scrap the funding for streetcars because they will be “a perpetual burden on future generations.” Mr. Larson is the only one using common sense.

Streetcars lack flexibility. Rails will be set for one route that is to be considered the best for current needs. There is no foresight for how transportation needs will change in the next 50-100 years. S.A. streets are in perpetual disrepair. Adding permanent rails will add another expense to the maintenance problem.

Little has been mentioned about VIA's introduction of the hybrid buses. Consideration should be given to purchasing more, but smaller buses that could be designed to look like “old-fashioned” cars which would add to the charm of our tourist city and could more easily maneuver the congested streets. That would eliminate disruptive construction affecting the downtown businesses and provide more funds for transportation needs outside of the downtown area.

Taxpayer money needs to be used wisely for all of S.A. transportation needs and not be spent to support the ego of Nelson Wolff — he won't be here in 50 years.

During a marriage that so far has lasted 53 years, and in all my other personal relationships, I have learned that compromise is an important facet if the relationship is to endure, and if the right results are to be achieved.

This same compromise has to become a part of our federal leadership. It is wrong to blame one side for the faults that occur in Washington. Both sides are being unreasonable if they do not sit down at the table, determine what they want to mutually achieve and then work toward that end.

Neither should get all that it wants because both sides have extremes that do not serve the overall welfare of the public.

Leaders consider all the many aspects of important issues, solicit advice and counsel from as many sources as is reasonable in a specific time frame and then make a decision.

In our system, the administration should meet with the Congress and revaluate the health care plan. This should be accomplished because there are too many waivers, exemptions and delays for certain parties that the plan has become unfair to the average citizen. All Americans should be included or none should be included. There should be no favoritism for one group over another. That is not the American way.

Let common sense return to the administration and Congress in this case, in the matter of the federal budget and all other issues confronting our nation.

Republicans and Democrats are both responsible and to blame for the dilemma we currently face.